Seal Box (Skippet), Arms of Massimiliano Sforza, Duke of Milan
16th Century
3.12" x 3.12" x 1.5"
Ceremonial Objects, engraved bronze or brass
Region: Italy
3.12" x 3.12" x 1.5"
Ceremonial Objects, engraved bronze or brass
Region: Italy
Skippets, or seal boxes, are small boxes made to hold and protect pendant wax seals that are attached to important documents.
The front of this skippet has the coat of arms of Massimiliano Sforza, the Duke of Milan, Italy from 1512 to 1515.
This seal box has been in the same family for many generations. A very old note was found inside the box that was signed July 1897 indicating this box dated to the 16th century. It measures 3 1/8" wide and is brass or bronze metal.
Only three of these skippets with the Massimiliano Sforza coat of arms are known to still exist.
Massimiliano Maria Sforza (1493 - 1530) was the cousin of Isabella of Aragon. He and his brother Francesco were the sons of Ludovico Maria “il Moro” Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Beatrice d'Este.
When Massimiliano was three his father Ludovico tried to arrange a marriage between Massimiliano and Mary Tudor, the younger daughter of King Henry VII of England. However, Henry VII rejected the proposal, as Ludovico was hoping that Henry would help him against the French, which was not in Henry's interest. Henry officially cited Mary's young age as the issue.
After Ludovico was driven from power by Louis XII of France in 1499, Massimiliano and Francesco took refuge in Germany.
In 1512, Massimiliano - determined to regain control of the Duchy for his family - aligned with the Holy League of Pope Julius II against the French.
As part of the campaign, Julius had hired an additional army of Swiss mercenaries led by Jakob Meyer zum Hasen, a professional moneychanger and mercenary soldier from Basel; they descended on Milan, bringing with them Massimiliano. By August, the Swiss had combined with the Venetian army and forced the French out of Milan, allowing Sforza to be proclaimed Duke.
His rule was brief; he held the duchy from 1512 to 1515, when the Milanese and their Swiss allies were defeated by French and Venetian troops at Marignano, southeast of Milan. Taken captive by French troops, Massimiliano waived his rights to Milan and yielded the duchy to the French king Francis I for the sum of 30,000 ducats and retired to live comfortably in France.
The front of this skippet has the coat of arms of Massimiliano Sforza, the Duke of Milan, Italy from 1512 to 1515.
This seal box has been in the same family for many generations. A very old note was found inside the box that was signed July 1897 indicating this box dated to the 16th century. It measures 3 1/8" wide and is brass or bronze metal.
Only three of these skippets with the Massimiliano Sforza coat of arms are known to still exist.
Massimiliano Maria Sforza (1493 - 1530) was the cousin of Isabella of Aragon. He and his brother Francesco were the sons of Ludovico Maria “il Moro” Sforza, Duke of Milan, and Beatrice d'Este.
When Massimiliano was three his father Ludovico tried to arrange a marriage between Massimiliano and Mary Tudor, the younger daughter of King Henry VII of England. However, Henry VII rejected the proposal, as Ludovico was hoping that Henry would help him against the French, which was not in Henry's interest. Henry officially cited Mary's young age as the issue.
After Ludovico was driven from power by Louis XII of France in 1499, Massimiliano and Francesco took refuge in Germany.
In 1512, Massimiliano - determined to regain control of the Duchy for his family - aligned with the Holy League of Pope Julius II against the French.
As part of the campaign, Julius had hired an additional army of Swiss mercenaries led by Jakob Meyer zum Hasen, a professional moneychanger and mercenary soldier from Basel; they descended on Milan, bringing with them Massimiliano. By August, the Swiss had combined with the Venetian army and forced the French out of Milan, allowing Sforza to be proclaimed Duke.
His rule was brief; he held the duchy from 1512 to 1515, when the Milanese and their Swiss allies were defeated by French and Venetian troops at Marignano, southeast of Milan. Taken captive by French troops, Massimiliano waived his rights to Milan and yielded the duchy to the French king Francis I for the sum of 30,000 ducats and retired to live comfortably in France.
